Judge explains 'Top Gear' Stig ruling

The judge who allowed Ben Collins to write about his time as The Stig on Top Gear has explained his decision.

Last month, the BBC attempted to block the autobiography by claiming that Collins had signed a confidentiality agreement.

The Daily Record reports that in a public ruling, Mr Justice Morgan agreed with the corporation that Collins should have kept his identity a secret.

However, he added that Collins's identity was so widely known that it was no longer confidential and pointed out that several articles in the media named him as The Stig.

"For all practical purposes, anyone who would have any interest in knowing the identity of The Stig now knows it," he said. "The identity of The Stig is no longer a secret and it is no longer confidential information.

"In the present case, the identity of Mr Collins as The Stig is in the public domain. If that has caused and or will cause harm to the BBC, I do not see how any further harm will be caused to the BBC if Mr Collins is allowed to publish his autobiography in time for the 2010 Christmas market."

A spokesperson for the BBC said: "We are pleased that the judge agreed with the BBC that Ben Collins was fully aware that he was required to keep his identity secret in terms of the confidentiality clauses he had agreed to. It was right for the BBC to bring this case. The BBC will always fight to protect its programs and characters."